A robot cleaner, a robot cleaning system and a method for controlling the same capable of efficiently performing work on command by recognizing the driving distance and direction of the robot cleaner regardless of a of wheel slippage or irregularity in the floor. The robot cleaner performs a working operation while moving about a floor, and comprises a main body, a driving unit for driving a plurality of wheels disposed on a bottom portion of the main body, a downward-looking camera disposed among the wheels on the bottom portion of the main body for photographing images of the floor perpendicular to the driving direction of the robot cleaner, and a control unit for recognizing driving distance and direction of the wheels using image information of the floor photographed by the downward-looking camera, and for controlling the driving unit corresponding to a target work by using the recognized distance and direction of the wheels. An upward-looking camera can photograph and use information relating to spatial orientation for determining and correcting driving distance and direction.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A robot cleaner for performing a working operation while moving about a floor, comprising: a main body; a driving unit for driving a plurality of wheels disposed on a bottom portion of the main body; a downward-looking camera disposed among the wheels on the bottom portion of the main body for photographing images of the floor perpendicular to a direction of driving the robot cleaner; and a control unit for recognizing the driving distance and direction of the wheels by comparing current image information of the floor photographed by the downward-looking camera with image information of the floor previously memorized by the downward-looking camera, and for controlling the driving unit corresponding to a target work by using the recognized distance and direction of the wheels.
2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the downward-looking camera photographs images of the floor at a rate of 1500 times per second.
3. The robot cleaner according to claim 2 further comprising an illuminator disposed on the bottom portion of the main body for illuminating an area photographed by the downward-looking camera to render it brighter than surrounding areas.
4. A robot cleaner for performing a working operation while moving about a floor, comprising: a main body; a driving unit for driving a plurality of wheels disposed on a bottom portion of the main body; a downward-looking camera disposed among the wheels on the bottom of the main body for photographing images of the floor perpendicular to a direction of driving the robot cleaner; an upward-looking camera disposed on a top of the main body for photographing images of a ceiling perpendicular to the driving direction; and a control unit for recognizing a position of the robot cleaner by using image information of the ceiling photographed by the upward-looking camera and for recognizing a driving distance and direction of the wheels by comparing current image information of the floor photographed by the downward-looking camera with image information of the floor previously memorized by the downward-looking camera, and further for controlling the driving unit corresponding to the targeted work by using the recognized position, distance end direction.
5. The robot cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein the downward-looking camera photographs images of the floor at a rate of 1500 time per second.
6. The robot cleaner according to claim 5 further comprising an illuminator disposed on the bottom portion of the main body for illuminating an area photographed by the downward-looking camera so as to render it brighter than surrounding areas.
7. A robot cleaning system comprising: a robot cleaner including: a main body, a driving unit for driving a plurality of wheels disposed on a bottom of the main body, and an upward camera disposed on a top of the main body for photographing images of a celling perpendicular to a direction of driving the robot cleaner; and a remote control unit for communicating wirelessly with the robot cleaner, wherein the robot cleaner further include, a downward camera disposed among the wheels on the bottom of the main body for continuously photographing images of the floor perpendicular to the driving direction, and the remote control unit recognizes a driving distance and direction of the wheels by comparing current image information of the floor photographed by the downward camera with image information of the floor previously memorized by the downward camera and controls the driving unit corresponding to a target work by using the recognized distance and direction of the wheels.
8. The robot cleaning system according to claim 7 , wherein the downward-looking camera photographs images of the floor at a rate of 1500 times per a second.
9. The robot cleaning system according to claim 8 further comprising an illuminator disposed on the bottom portion of the main body for illuminating an area photographed by the downward-looking camera brighter than surrounding areas.
10. A method for controlling a robot cleaner having a downward camera, comprising the steps of: calculating a driving path to a target area corresponding to a work, upon receiving a work command; storing images of a floor photographed by the downward-looking camera; driving the robot cleaner along the calculated driving path; and comparing the current image of the floor photographed by the downward-looking camera with the stored images to calculate a driving distance and direction, and thereafter correcting the driving path.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
February 20, 2003
March 15, 2005
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